Basking Ridge Diver
Contributor
USS Algol - Shark River Reef - sunk in 1991 - 130 feet to the sand but the main deck is about 100 feet - the superstructure in the photo is a multi level - 90, 80 and 70ish feet - give or take.
We tied in at the bow of the ship - Gypsy Blood another dive op was tied in on the superstructure when we arrived.
Dove solo off the Venture III - good boat very calm seas and good viz (about 25 foot - although folks were calling it 60 foot (that was not what I would call 60)).
I had a great first dive - I had planned my dive according to my gas needs with 32% nitrox. I even over planned the gas needs and rented 3 Al 80's - normally I just rent 4 and be done with it - this trip I was being a cheap *ss and saved myself some money.
On the SIT I was diligent and swapped tanks - but I got distracted and did not verify my tanks. I took a nap and woke up with folks gearing up so I jumped up and geared up. I was first in the water which is no surprise to those that see me gear up. What was a surprise was I forgot to turn on my computer which is air integrated. So somewhere about 20 or 30 feet I turned it on and proceeded down the line. At 60 feet I stopped to clear my ears and noticed my yellow gas reserve was on. Odd I thought I have at least a tank and a half on my back. Well no - I swapped the slightly used tank for a new tank not the one with 653 PSI - what an idiot. So knowing what I had done I swapped my reg and breathed off the full tank. I wanted whatever was in that empty tank as reserve. Because I had planned my dive I knew (or at least thought) I was on the edge if my RMV/SAC went up and I did not have nearly the reserve that I wanted.
So I continued down and just slowed everything down. I swam slow, I thought good thoughts and I monitored my gas supply. In the end I was fine I ran up to the NDL on the second dive and had plenty of gas for an emergency - not for buddy breathing but for me to get backup the line.
In the end I wont call it complacency but I will say I need to slow down in all things SCUBA. I could have surfaced and changed my tank at the 60 foot mark but I felt like I had enough gas due to me doing my plan. As I look back now is if anyone had come to me for an air share we both may have been in jeopardy. So next time I need to slow down and validate what I did which would have been easy turn on the tanks and the computer and take a look. Air Integration is a great thing if you use it wisely.
So lesson learned - great dive and I hope this helps a few of us that dive and may forget to check and double check things - this is not a race - check and double check as needed. Dive Safe.
GoPro was being a pain and would not let me load up audio... So think of it as a silent movie... lol
